D&D 5E WotC Delays New D&D Book Announcement

This from WotC — “Get the quasits out of our office! Our plan to make a D&D book announcement on Thursday has been changed. Adventurers, mark your calendars for Monday, January 13.”

The book was due to be announced on Thursday 9th January after a mysterious entry appeared on Amazon with a product title of "Dungeons & Dragons March Release Book (Title announced January 9th)" and a release date of March 17th, 2020. See the original news item here:

D&D 5E - March's D&D Book To Be Announced On January 9th

A mysterious entry has appeared on Amazon! With a product title of "Dungeons & Dragons March Release Book (Title announced January 9th)" and a release date of March 17th, 2020, this $49.95 hardcover release will be revealed in under a week! The description reads "Your first look at the next...

www.enworld.org

They haven't given a reason; back in November WotC delayed the launch of the sapphire D&D anniversary dice at the last minute, too.

D&D General - $300 D&D Dice Delayed

WotC has delayed the sale of the $300 dice. They haven’t said why.

www.enworld.org

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Big difference actually.

You're calling the idea "shallow" and a "vanity project" despite having no idea the actual quality of the adventures made, their theme, where their set, nothing. So whether you're criticizing the idea or the writing itself doesn't matter, you're criticism is made with zero knowledge of what you're even criticizing.

I don't think Wizard's, which has slowed its release schedule purposefully to ensure quality control, is suddenly going to release bad adventures solely because they're written by (not actually that famous) celebrities.

Product could still be less than great, but I'm reserving actual judgment until I actually see the damn thing.

 

[Fenris-77]

I don't see WotC publishing terrible adventures just because they happen to be written by B list celebrities. Maybe ho-hum adventures, but not terrible. I also don't think that the book is likely to be a celebrity written book generally, despite the two names attached to it. I'd imagine the bulk would be some of the best freelancers on the market. Not that it's a given that it's just a collection of adventures.

 

[Quickleaf]

Doesn't Wolfgang hint he and Zeb Cook worked on a Planescape Book in this interview as well? that seems like it could be a fun partnership. Just saying.

Yes, it's part of the Warlock Lairs or Warlock Patreon line, I forget which. Something about a "City of Smoke" planar location.

 

[Anoth]

Anything David zeb cook writes i want

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Anything David zeb cook writes i want

Agreed. This isn't a book of adventures by any old "celebraties", it's a book by people who are famous for writing excellent adventures.

Very excited about this (if that is what it is). But even if it isn't something I want myself I'm not going to complain. Different people like different things, and if this one doesn't appeal - well, I get to save some money, so it's win win.

 

[Rhylthar]

Doesn't Wolfgang hint he and Zeb Cook worked on a Planescape Book in this interview as well? that seems like it could be a fun partnership. Just saying.

Someone from a german forum came up with this theory:

a) The new icon on Twitter is a clockwork with the unique "green" background of Planescape.
b) The release is 17.03.2020. Seventeenth of March.

Conclusion:
It´s "The Great Modron March 5E". 17 Planes, March, Logo.

insert X-Files-Theme here

 

[Don Durito]

Someone from a german forum came up with this theory:

a) The new icon on Twitter is a clockwork with the unique "green" background of Planescape.
b) The release is 17.03.2020. Seventeenth of March.

Conclusion:
It´s "The Great Modron March 5E". 17 Planes, March, Logo.

insert X-Files-Theme here

They could do worse than republish and update some of those 2E Plansescape adventure paths.

(Although they would feel wrong without the DiTerzzili art.)

 

[Rhylthar]

They could do worse than republish and update some of those 2E Plansescape adventure paths.

(Although they would feel wrong without the DiTerzzili art.)

Well, I won´t say "No" to this idea. Yeah, art would be missed...but I would be very interested nonetheless.

 

[Weiley31]

Tomorrow is the day!!!

WoTC: I have to go use the restroom.

Book announcement is delayed another whole week.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

"We are the Mecanatrixes, lords of the aleerin empire. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own (but sheens aren't welcome). Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile."

If the clue about Laeral Silverhand is right, my bet since the begining is a book about equiment and magic item, but there is a lot of this crunch from earlier editions or by 3PPs.

But if the right clue is about the plane Mechanus, or it is a module where PCs can start from material plane (and not Sigil as origin point) is other planer handbook with monsters... and maybe some other eagter eggs about Spelljammers, maybe its planar-traveling version.

Or it may be a module about the wall of the faithless is broken and all those souls are sent to the demiplane of the dread. (I was kidding but sometimes an April Fools has become reality).